Jam Mohammad Yousaf created major trouble for the government was when he refused to allow the Parliamentary Committee on Balochistan to probe into charges of land embezzlement and misuse of millions earned from the sale and allotment of plots in Gawadar. This time round, the Shaukat Aziz government has received intelligence reports that Yousaf and two of his cabinet ministers are involved in tribal wars that are threatening to worsen the law and order situation in the already troubled province. According to a senior official, the intelligence report accuses Yousaf of backing tribal groups who were reportedly involved in attacks on the residence of former CM Sardar Attaullah Mengal. After the attack on Mengalâs house, Yousafâs house in Kalat was also attacked. Locals are now worried about how far the two leaders are willing to stretch this feuding.CM Yousaf is also being accused of involvement in last weekâs attack on the son of federal minister Sardar Yar Mohammad Rind in which two bodyguards were gunned down. âIt is no coincidence that the attack on Rindâs son came right after rumours that the Islamabad central command was considering replacing Yousaf with Rind,â said a source. âRind enjoys power not just in Balochistan but in Sindh also and is hence expected to run the affairs of the province much better than Yousaf.â
Intelligence reports warn the government that the attacks on the residence of Baloch nationalist leader Attaullah Mengal could worsen the already precarious law and order situation in Balochistan especially since Mengal has publicly accused Yousaf for the attacks. The intelligence reports read that the government has been made privy to tribal feuds in the area and to the fact that these feuds could turn uglier because of the direct involvement of federal ministers Sardar Yar Mohammad Rind and Mengal, both of whom have lost men in tribal wars now being fought quite regularly. âWhile the federal government may have taken Mengalâs charges against Yousaf quite lightly, it is treating the allegation of Yousafâs involvement in tribal wars much more seriously, especially since Rind too has held Yousaf responsible for the attack on his son,â an official told TFT. âRind has really driven home the point that Yousaf has been extending all kinds of support to his [Rind] arch rivals. This is something that President Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz are both aware of now,â he added.
Reportedly, President Musharraf eagerly wants to sort out the differences between the chief minister and federal minister and has met Rind several times. Sources privy to these meetings say Rind has personally apprised the Presidents of Yousafâs involvement in tribal politics.
| Personally, I can well believe it. People who wear hats like that are always up to no good. |